


Maybe I'm Stuck On The Puzzle

by AkaiaOwl



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies), The Hunger Games (Movies) RPF
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Awkward Conversations, Awkward Sexual Situations, Awkwardness, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, Eventual Sex, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friends With Benefits, Happy Ending, Implied Annie Cresta/Finnick Odair, Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark Smut, Love at First Sight, POV Katniss Everdeen, Unrequited Love, Weddings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-11-04
Packaged: 2019-08-09 11:18:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16448936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AkaiaOwl/pseuds/AkaiaOwl
Summary: Modern-day AU.Faced with a potentially awkward reunion with Gale, her neighbor and former friend with benefits, Katniss makes a last-minute choice that’ll forever change everything.





	1. Hang me up to dry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!!  
> I know I hould be getting work done on my other fanfic in progress, but rereading the first book of THG has given me major Everlark feels and I just couldn't help myself!!  
> By the way, flashbacks will be marked like this ***

CHAPTER 1. HANG ME UP TO DRY.

 

“We’re getting married!” Annie exclaimed, her excited squeal reaching Katniss all the way from the other side of the line, thousands of miles away.

“Wow… Well, that’s,” Katniss stuttered, feeling her friend’s expectant breath on the other side of the line, “you know how I feel about long term commitments, but I’m so happy for you Annie!” she finally said sincerely, trying to muster all of her emotion into her voice.

She couldn’t deny she’d had her doubts when she first met Finnick. Now, almost two years later, Katniss really was happy her sweet friend was marrying him.

“That means a lot coming from you,” Annie said, the big smile on her face almost palpable.

Katniss asked a few more questions about the wedding, finding out it was only three months away. Her friend, unsurprisingly, was very stressed out about planning every little detail to perfection. She wanted a perfect fairytale wedding.

“I know you hate these kinds of things but please be one of my bridesmaids!”

The brunette girl had to use every ounce of self-control not to blurt a negative response right away.

“Please Kat! It would make me really happy,” the redhead insisted.

Katniss pulled at the strands of dark brown hair at the bottom of her braid thoughtfully. She could hear Annie’s excited breathing on the other end of the line.

How bad could it be, really?

“I’ll do it,” she said feeling a bit nervous, “is there anything I should do, you know, as a bridesmaid?”

Annie excitedly launched herself into a detailed account of what she was expected to do and how pretty their gowns at the wedding were gonna look. As she listened to her friend’s happy babble, it began to dawn on Katniss that she’d have to travel early down to California - a week or two early, probably.

It would be her first time there after over two years.

It was too late to regret it.

“Oh, and now that you’ve confirmed I’ll have three bridesmaids and it really makes me want to cry because you’re my best friends in the world and I can’t wait for you guys to meet!” Annie gushed.

Katniss had met Annie during her first semester in college and, despite their different personalities, they’d quickly become friends.

“So you asked your friends from high school to be you other bridesmaids?” the brunette asked curiously.

“Only Maggs, the other one is Madge,” Annie said, her voice finally sobering up after all the high-pitched, excited rambling.

Madge Undersee, Annie’s college roommate, who Katniss had also befriended during college. The three of them had been inseparable right until their senior year, when Annie and Madge had insisted on visiting Katniss’ hometown during winter break.

“Oh,” she answered, chewing on her bottom lip anxiously.

“It’s time to try and make things work like they did before, don’t you think?” Annie said, sounding a bit tired, Katniss could almost picture her rubbing the bridge of her nose, “It’s been more than four years since we graduated college and I really miss hanging out. The three of us”.

Four years, indeed, since college senior year.

Twirling her braid nervously, Katniss thought about the fallout of her and Madge’s friendship. A familiar pang of guilt creeped on her when she thought back at how it had mostly been her fault and it was something that ashamed her now.

***

During the break the three of them had been in The Seam, Madge had met Katniss’ childhood friend and neighbor Gale. It had been instant infatuation for both of them, despite Gale’s initial fake indifference. Katniss had noticed it first, unable to understand the strong feeling of betrayal she felt when it became obvious her two friends were spending a lot of time together.

She guessed she had always sort of assumed that she’d end up with Gale.

Gale and Katniss had been friends ever since both of their fathers died in a fire that reduced the factory they both worked in to ashes. This is the sort of thing that only few people could understand and Katniss always felt it was rather especial. Despite this, however, the thought that her bond with Gale might go beyond friendship had never once occurred to her until her first year of college, when she came home from school and reunited with her childhood friend after several months.

One morning they went to the woods together, embarking themselves on one of their usual long treks. Around midday, as they rested near a long boulder, Gale had suddenly kissed her. She pretended nothing had happened up until they got home just as the sun began to set. Gale, stoic as ever, had remained silent about that too. As they made their way inside Katniss’ empty home to get themselves some water, the brunette girl turned to him and simply said that she would probably never be ready for a long-term, serious, happily-ever-after sort of relationship. Then, she’d kissed him and he’d kissed her back. On their last day of break, they’d kissed as they said their goodbyes.

Sometimes, when they both happened to be on vacation at The Seam, they hung out like always and made out. Nothing was ever said about that but, ever since that day in the woods, her childhood home, The Seam, the woods, Gale and his warm kisses had somehow morphed into one single concept: familiarity. When her final year of college rolled around, Katniss was already used to her vacation routine. Everything changed, though, when Madge and Annie one day appeared on her front door, all smiles and giddiness.

It had been hard for her to reconcile her two different lives colliding all at once. Especially, because she couldn’t keep hiding this part of her anymore. 

Also, because, despite more than three years of friendship, Annie and Madge had no clue about any of the struggles she’d gone through as a child. 

Prim had been great though. Immediately charming Annie and Madge, casually keeping the conversation rolling away from uncomfortable topics, and giving her older sister reassuring smiles and sympathetic glances every once in a while. Just when Katniss thought this winter break might just be alright, after all, Gale and Madge met and everything sort of changed forever, turning into some sort of cheesy real-life romantic chick-flick.

Madge smiling up at Gale, looking at him like a lost puppy, her big blue eyes sparkling in the sun. A grin, finally breaking Gale’s apathetic expression, at something Madge retorts to one of his usual sarcastic comments. Madge, blushing intensely under Gale’s intense grey gaze. Gale grinning his familiar lopsided smile at Madge, his arm hesitatingly hovering behind her seat at the movies before, finally, resting protectively over her dainty shoulders.

Everything kept happening before her eyes, like a movie-reel.

She’d know all the while she had to talk to Gale sometime but both of them seemed equally squeamish about it and, most of the vacation, they’d spent it actively avoiding spending time alone with each other. She never addressed her feelings with Madge, either, feeling both angry and guilty about everything. Prim, observant as she was, noticed the change in her sister’s demeanor right away but Katniss didn’t feel prepared to voice her feelings, they were confusing to even her!

When winter break finally ended, Katniss had never felt happier about having to leave The Seam. As Annie drove them back to campus, the brunette had to fight the huge relief she could feel about leaving her home – and hopefully all of the bad memories too – behind.

Back at college, however, nothing was the same.

During their time at The Seam, despite her best efforts to keep her feelings at bay, Katniss had become a bit distant with both Annie and Madge. Now, her sarcasm scaling to almost hurtful levels due to Prim not being around anymore to steer the conversation to less dangerous topics and Katniss feeling she had no one she could really talk to, made her irritable. Under the excuse of having too many assignments, she slowly began hanging out with Madge and Annie less and less.

This situation went on right up until a month before graduation, when they insisted so much about going to a small party in friend’s house that Katniss couldn’t refuse. After taking a couple of hits from a blunt and eating a bit of pizza, Katniss was, after several months, feeling truly happy and relaxed. She had managed to forget everything that went on during winter break, which was a feat she was trying to achieve ever since it happened – her jumble of feelings had consistently been bubbling in a confusing puddle within the recesses of her mind and, every now and then, she had to fight to keep it there, away.

“Will you finally tell us anything about that hunk that I’ve seen you with around campus?” their mutual friend Glimmer had asked suddenly, raising her blond eyebrow mischievously and effectively cutting off Katniss' reverie.

Madge’s round cheeks had immediately tinged a rosy-pink shade.

“That’s would be her boyfriend, Gale,” a drunk Annie had answered, rolling her eyes and smiling affectionately at Madge.

Maybe because of the drugs, Katniss had sat through the scene feeling strangely detached, as if they were other people she didn’t know talking about something she’d no idea about. The morning after, however, as she recalled the previous night, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of betrayal on her gut at the knowledge that Gale, her oldest and dearest friend, had told her nothing about his new relationship with Madge. True, they hadn’t been texting as much or calling each other at all but, still, Katniss couldn’t shake the feeling that both him and Madge had been going behind her back. And that hurt.

Days and weeks flew by. Thankfully, finals kept her busy enough to avoid thinking much. Graduation day came and she sat with her friends and smiled along and even agreed to pose on some pictures.

Annie and Madge tried to convince her to move in with them to their new apartment, just like they’d planned only a year ago. Katniss said she couldn’t really afford it, especially since she was trying to help fill up Prim’s college fund and rented a small apartment on a less-nicer part of town.

A month went by and then another. Suddenly, it'd been more than a year and a half since graduation.

By then, despite living in the same city, she’d gotten used to hanging out with her two college friends every four or five months. It wasn’t as if she was actively avoiding them anymore, it was just that work and responsibilities and _life_ kept providing her with excuses more often than not.

On a rare rainy day, Katniss had decided to step onto a café until the storm withered. Just as she headed to the back of the small place, she couldn’t miss Annie’s long, reddish brown hair. She was sitting on her own, glancing at her phone screen. They’d talked until long after the storm completely subsided, until it was really late and she couldn’t walk home on her own anymore.

“You can stay at our place, sleep at Madge’s room,” Annie said with a smile, “It’d be awesome to have a sleep-over the three of us like old times, but she’s out of town right now”.

Back at Annie’s apartment, they drank some wine and talked as the TV in the living room droned on with some Friends episode. Annie told Katniss about this cool friend of hers she had a huge crush on but would probably never see her that way.

“So what's the deal between you and Gale?” She suddenly asked between sips, “Madge told me you guys aren't really friends anymore.”

Katniss frowned, trying to come up with an answer.

“Things are sort of awkward now,” she finally answered, her tone of voice making it sound like a question instead of a statement.

She was aware of the stupidity of her actions: of having driven friends away, people she cared a lot for and valued.

Maybe because of the wine, or the guilt she couldn’t seem to shake anymore, or because rainy days always made her sad, without planning to, Katniss found herself finally blurting out her bottled up feelings. Annie listened to her patiently, her face unreadable but her eyes sad, empathising with Katniss’ position. This, especially, because the turn of events had taken her by surprise, forcing her to do what she did best (become guarded and hide her feelings), which resulted in her isolating herself.

“Maybe we could’ve worked it out,” Annie said, “maybe we still can.”

Afterwards, Katniss did make an effort to reconnect with her friends. That was, until Gale moved to the city and she was offered a job in Chicago. Both events, ironically, occurred in the lapse of two days.

Thinking back on it, Katniss could never make up her mind if the promotion had been a blessing for giving her a ticket out of her problems or a curse for never letting her get the chance to work through her issues.

On good days, she liked to think that maybe it had been for the best.

***

“Yeah, I miss that too,” Katniss admitted.

“I bet stressing and partying together might just do the trick,” Annie said, the excitement returning to her voice.

“Stress and alcohol, it’ll be just like college,” Katniss added, making her friend giggle.

“And hot guys,” Annie added “you can bring a date if you want… or you could finally let me set you up with someone.”

Katniss laughed at the random comment, it never ceased to amuse her how easily Annie could jump from one topic to the next. Truth was, ever since college, Annie had been trying to play matchmaker with disastrous results.

“I think I'll pass up on that offer,” Katniss smiled.

“This won't be like last time at all!” Annie exclaimed, “Plus, you know it was an honest mistake. How could I ever know Cray was such a creep?”

Katniss snorted loudly.

“Uh, by the horrible way he leers at women maybe?”

“I thought he had some problem with his eyesight!”

*

It wasn't until a couple of weeks after, as she casually scrolled through Instagram, that Katniss really thought back to her earlier conversation with Annie.

Katniss wasn't all that much into Instagram and, the few times she did check it, were mostly due to her having nothing else to do. That day, her order at Starbucks was taking a bit longer than usual. Soon, she found herself sitting on one of the comfy couches scrolling through her feed.

Annie, Finnick, Madge and Gale's faces filled the middle of her screen, “Double Date” the quote below the picture read. They seemed to be at a fancy restaurant, maybe celebrating something.

Despite herself, Katniss took longer than necessary to glance at the photo, taking in the happy crinkles on Madge's eyes and the huge smile on Annie's face. A stab of nostalgia suddenly hit her.

She wished there was a way to make things less uncomfortable between them. That was impossible, Katniss was sure.

Right before moving to Chicago, Katniss had been invited to dine at Madge and Gale's new apartment. However, despite Annie's presence, that had definitely been one of the most awkward and mortifying evenings of Katniss’ life. A fact that had also been painfully obvious to everyone in there. Finally, towards the end of the evening, Katniss had excused herself to go to the bathroom. On her way out she couldn't help but overhear a bit of the conversation Gale and Madge were having in the kitchen. She'd found out that Gale had told Madge about them and that they thought Katniss was moving away because she was jealous and brokenhearted.

Needless to say, it had been humiliating to find out the reason they'd been acting so patronizing and condescending lately.

After all those years and after a lot of reflecting on her part, Katniss no longer felt betrayal at her friends’ relationship. She'd come to terms with it. However, Madge and Gale still seemed to walk on eggshells around her, which made everything really awkward.

If only there was a way to convince them that she'd moved on, so they could too…

Tugging at the end of her long braid, Katniss found herself thinking of an online article she'd read not long ago. It was about some people who got paid to attend events with someone. She'd only clicked on it, really, because Prim had shared it on Facebook and she had some time to kill while waiting at her turn at the dentist.

Even though the idea repelled her a little - the very thought of paying someone to be her date ashamed her -, Katniss found herself at her sister's profile. She clicked on the article but there was no contact number or anything at all but a description of what these people did and some brief comments from some of them.

Sighing, Katniss went to close the tab until a small detail caught her eye: the author of the article. It was someone called Peeta Mellark (what a weird name) who, apparently, was currently studying journalism and art. She clicked on his name and it took her to a brief profile page which included some other details, like his contact info and location.

It turned out he listed his current state as Illinois, what a coincidence!

Trying to ignore the sinking feeling  in her stomach and before she could talk herself out of it, she typed a quick message asking about the article and sent it to the email listed on his profile.

That night, she'd gotten an answer, thanking her for taking the time to write to him and further explaining how his experience interviewing these people had been. The excitement he conveyed was sort of endearing. It also made Katniss feel weird about making him think she was really impressed by his writing when all she wanted was some information.

She was able to put the email away from her thoughts for a few hours, until she was lying down in bed. There, with nothing else occupying her mind, she grabbed her phone, opened her email and pressed reply.

Katniss’ fingers hovered on her phone screen, unsure of how to ask him where or how to contact one of the people from the article. How was one supposed to ask this sort of thing without seeming like a sad, lonely person?

It was embarrassing for her.

Sighing, she closed her email, cursing herself for ever considering this idea, and went to sleep.

*

Fate had other plans though, it seemed.

“You need to bring a date! Finn’s friend Marvel can’t make it and he was the one supposed to walk with you during the ceremony,” Annie said sounding extremely distressed.

“Huh?”

“You know, when the bridesmaids and groomsmen walk to the altar before the bride comes out?” she asked in desperation.

“Annie! The wedding is less than two months away!”

“I know!”

The was silence over the line for a few seconds.

“Oh, Kat, I'm so sorry,” there was sympathy in her voice, “I'll talk to Finn's friends about this, I bet they'll know someone who can step in.”

_Lonely Katniss. Stoic Katniss. Unfeeling Katniss. The girl who no one will ever see “that way”._

She closed her eyes tightly, willing those thoughts away.

“Don't! I'll ask someone, ok?”

“Are you sure?” Annie asked thoughtfully, “You know I coul-”

“-I'm sure Annie,” Katniss interrupted her, trying to sound cheerful, “I’ve got it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know your thoughts about this new project of mine!  
> Love, Steph.


	2. Chances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who took the time to read the first chapter! This story might be the one that's taking me the shortest time to write, ever (yay!)  
> By the way, I changed Annie's other bridesmaids to Maggs and Madge.

CHAPTER 2. CHANCES.

_Hi Peeta!_

_I’m sorry for not being able to answer sooner, it’s been a busy couple of weeks. It was great getting to know a bit more about your writing process though there are some details I’d like to know more about regarding the article. If it’s ok, I was wondering, could I maybe give you a call or something someday to talk more about this? Let me know if that’s ok, I’ll leave you my number as well, just in case (…)_

 

Katniss sat at work, trying not to overthink about her predicament (an almost impossible task, all things considered) and giving a final reread at the message on her screen. After adding some of her personal info so she didn’t come off as a stalker, the brunette hit send, figuring she better get this over with already.

She’d be lucky if he answered back – she would get the date thing off Annie’s shoulders and it would be the perfect way to show Madge and Gale she was over her grudge and they could all move on –, though Katniss had no hope in it.

If he did, though, Peeta Mellark would be her savior.

“What’ya frowning at Everdeen?” Rue’s cheerful voice rang.

“That’s just how her face is,” Cinna laughed mockingly.

“Oh, shut up, it’s not a girl’s duty to smile all the time,” Johanna interjected.

Immediately, a smile broke into Katniss’ face.

One of the best things about her life in Chicago was, definitely, her coworkers.

Workwise, moving was the best decision she’d ever made; she earned more, did exactly what she liked and met some of the greatest people ever.

It would all be perfect if only she got to see her family and friends more often.

“Annie’s getting married,” the brunette sighed, “I forgot to tell you guys.”

“Ohhh, she’s such a lucky girl, Finnick’s a hottie,” Cinna giggled.

Rue immediately brought up an Instagram picture of Finnick and Annie and showed it around. Katniss also got a look at the photo, it showed them having a picnic somewhere outdoors and looking a lot in love.

“Though they look a bit young for marriage,” he added thoughtfully.

“There’s no age for love,” Rue said with a small smile, always a romantic.

“Love doesn’t exist,” Katniss stated with a shrug, “it’s just a lie they feed people to maintain the traditional moral values.”

Rue rolled her eyes in mock annoyance.

“Well said, sister,” piped in Johanna approvingly, “it’s just an idea they feed people to keep us always looking for something we will never have.”

“Here they go again,” Cinna added, sighing dramatically.

“Will you have to take a date?” Rue asked curiously, changing the topic.

“Yeah,” Katniss answered vaguely, “I probably have to since I’m a bridesmaid and all that.”

“Who are you taking?”

“Why didn’t you tell us?!”

“Uh, well-”

“-are you secretly dating someone?” Cinna wondered.

“What? No, I’m not!” Katniss said, trying not to be too defensive but failing.

Johanna, Cinna and Rue shared a look.

Just as they began another round of questioning, their grumpy boss, Haymitch Abernathy, appeared.

Katniss had never been happier to see the man.

He took his time walking around the room and checking on each of them, asking a few questions about their projects and giving a few recommendations. By the time he got to her, Katniss was already fully focused on the task at hand again. As she filled him in with the details of her work, she took a bit of pride in the fact that he didn’t seem to be frowning at her every word (a great accomplishment, actually).

“It’s looking good Everdeen, I hope we can get to see it fully sketched out by the time you leave town for that event of yours.”

*

Since it was a Friday, it was a sort of unspoken tradition for everyone to hang out after work as a way to relieve themselves of the stress and spend some time outside the workplace.

It was only about 6:30 pm but, that day, they decided to spend their evening in a bar.

It had been Johanna’s idea and they agreed to it without complaints – Katniss, mainly, because she really, really needed a drink.

Their favorite place to go in such moments was a relatively new place located at the eastern side of town. It was a bar called District 13 and it had a modern feeling to it, though as it was not as known yet, it wasn’t uncomfortably loud and packed with people like other places (hence the appeal).

Also, weirdly enough, it opened earlier than other places.

They took their place at their usual booth, which was empty when they arrived.

“So Blight finally moved out,” Johanna informed them loudly as she unceremoniously threw her on the booth, “I really need to get thrashed tonight.”

Blight had been Johanna’s roommate - partner? - for over five years. Everyone kind of knew that they were not just roommates but seemed to be in some sort of unlabeled romantic relationship - it was evident by the way Blight was always staring at her, and by the way Johanna never seemed interested in anyone and acted grumpy when anyone teased her about her romantic life.

“What? How did this happen?” Cinna asked, raising an eyebrow and motioning towards the waiter to come.

“I don’t even fucking know!” Johanna exclaimed.

“When did you guys even start having problems?” Rue asked, the worried frown looking out of place in her sweet face.

The waiter finally came and asked for their orders.

“Three rounds of whiskey shots,” Katniss said before anyone else could even think.

Rue and Cinna turned to look at her in surprise, she was usually very moderated and careful when she drank.

She pretended not to notice.

Everyone fell into an expectant silence. It would be an understatement to say that Johanna and Blight’s breakup was really unexpected.

Luckily, in record time, the waiter returned with their drinks.

“Let me know if you need anything else,” the waiter said, winking in Katniss’ general direction and making her blush in response.

They all grabbed their drinks.

Johanna and Katniss gulped it down immediately.

 “We were alright one month and the next he was just pressuring me into _labeling_ things and _being serious_ and shit it freaked me out, probably grew tired of me or something,” Johanna commented after loudly setting her glass shot on the table and promptly grabbing another from the tray.

“It’s gonna be alright Jo,” Rue commented empathetically.

“Of course it is!” Johanna huffed, “I just wish people could stop their obsession with labeling stuff and chaining one down already!”

“I’m not sure you’re getting the big picture her-” Cinna began.

Another empty shot glass was slammed on the table.

“Like hell I am!”

“Wanna play something?” Rue asked a bit too enthusiastically.

Cinna gave her an affectionate smile.

“What are we? 16?” Johanna asked, rolling her eyes.

“Yeah, let’s do it,” Katniss added with a tight smile, “I’m bored”.

“So, truth or dare?” Cinna asked smiling mischievously, wiggling his perfectly shaped brown eyebrows.

“God, I need to be drunk for this shit,” Johanna said already tagging a sip of her third shot.

“Hey you!” she called to the waiter, who immediately turned to their table, “Could I get your biggest glass of rum and coke?”

*

Katniss threw her head back in laughter over some stupid thing Cinna said and that, for the life of her she couldn’t remember.

At some point of the evening, their conversation had turned into mindless babbling and loud giggling. She knew she was at that dangerous point between tipsy and really drunk, though that knowledge elicited no bell to go off in her head like it usually would.

“Kat, let’s go to the bathroom?” Rue asked, already standing up.

“Ok,” she answered, somehow managing to walk out of their booth without stumbling over her own feet.

As they made her way through the mildly crowded place, Katniss felt a vibration in her purse.

_Ping_

Feeling like she was in stop motion, she pulled on the zipper and tried to open her purse. It was a difficult task to try and do it with only her left hand, since Rue was currently pulling her by her other arm.

Somehow, fishing her phone out of her purse was turning out to be a real challenge.

_Brrr Brrr Brrr_

Rue pulled her around a corner and, suddenly, there was lot less noise. They were currently in some sort of hallway. 

Annoyed, Katniss finally managed to grab her phone and look at the screen.

An unknown number was calling her.

“Hello,” she said a bit breathlessly.

“Hi?” a male voice asked, “Is this Katniss Everdeen?”

Rue motioned to the bathroom and motioned “be right back” at her before heading further into the hall.

“Uh, hello?” Katniss said stupidly, her brain buzzing from the alcohol and the distraction of her friend leaving.

 “I’m Peeta Mellark,” he said hesitatingly.

Katniss Everdeen. That was her name, wasn’t it?

“Yeah! I’m Katniss!” she exclaimed.

“Yeah, I’m calling because you wanted to ask a few more questions about the article I wrote,” he said sounding relieved, “is now a good time for that? If not, it’s totally fine and you could, maybe, call me back la-”

“-no, no, it’s a great time. I’m having a great time!” she giggled, “I thought you’d never answer my creepy inbox”.

He laughed at that.

“It was intriguing actually, to have someone be so interested in my writing”.

“Well, it is great writing! Though, what I wanted to know is, could I somehow get in touch with one of the people you interviewed?” Katniss asked.

It could be her over sensitized imagination, but she felt as if more than a few seconds passed without an answer.

“One of my closest friends is getting married and I really want to go but my former friend with benefits – is that what people call that sort of thing today? – will be there and, ugh, it’s bound to be awkward and I really, really need a date so I don’t look like the lonely 26 year old that I actually am”.

She could hear some shuffling on the other side of the line, but Peeta didn’t say anything.

Had she blown it already? Had she actually managed to make someone see her as the pathetic, lonely loser she was in less than 3 minutes?

“I can actually help you with that,” he said as if nothing had happened, though she could still hear some shuffling on his side.

“Really?”

“Yeah,” he answered, “tell you what, I’ll talk to some people and maybe you could call me tomorrow afternoon?”

“That sounds great!” 

*

A sour taste invaded her mouth, which was also dry and itchy.

“Ugh,” Katniss pried her eyes open slowly, glancing at the soft pink walls for a minute, and moved her right hand around trying to find her phone.

She was laying on Rue’s bed but she was nowhere to be seen in the room. What Katniss could hear though, were the faint sounds of television and, occasionally, some garbled words and laughter.

The brunette took her time shifting around and sitting up.

Finally, she noticed her purse on the small chair in the corner of the room and lunged towards it.

Her head ached at the sudden movement and she had to sit back down on the bed for a minute before trying to make a grab for her bag again.

Yep, she’d probably thrown up last night.

She first grabbed her phone, noticing with a start it was already late in the afternoon. Woah.

Katniss walked out of the bedroom and into the living room, where she immediately saw Rue and Johanna sitting lazily.

“Sleeping beauty is up!” Rue said with that musical voice of hers.

“More like hangover beauty,” Johanna said with a laugh.

“Rue, I swear you should audition to be a new Disney princess or something,” Katniss said with a sincere smile, she couldn’t manage to be sarcastic to her sweet friend.

“C’mere Kat, we’re having cereal for lunch,” Johanna said, patting the seat in the couch next to her.

Despite feeling a bit weak and dirty, her stomach churned at the mention of food (it always did, really).

“I’ll go clean up first, can I borrow some clothes?”

“Sure,” Rue answered, not taking her eyes off the TV.

After she rinsed her mouth and face, Katniss was faced with the challenge of finding something of Rue’s that could actually fit her. It wasn’t as if she was a tall person by any standards, but her friend was rather tiny.

She finally settled with a hoodie and some sweats.

Feeling quite comfortable, Katniss grabbed her phone and headed to the kitchen where she poured herself a glass of water and some cereal. She then settled on the comfy one-person couch on the corner and tried to understand the action movie Rue and Johanna were immersed in.

It was a failed attempt.

After about half an hour of not understanding why the main character apparently killed his own son (wtf), Katniss turned her phone on – and noted it was understandably on the verge of turning off – and scrolled through the notifications on her screen.

Something caught her eye. It was an email from Peeta Mellark from yesterday night. Frowning, Katniss opened the email – in which he thanked her again for her interest and wondered if it would be ok to call her right now (then?).

_Oh._

Vague memories floated to her mind. Her embarrassing introduction, her unhelpful mouth, her drunken confession.

_Oh, just great._

Hadn’t she agreed to call him back today? She glanced at the time 4:21.

Standing up and returning to Rue’s bedroom for some privacy, Katniss quickly searched her call log and, sure enough, an unknown number appeared first on the list. Without giving herself any time for hesitation, she pressed it.

It rang two times.

“Hello?”

“Mr. Mellark? Um… Hi, this is Katniss Everdeen from last night.”

“Hi Katniss, I’m glad you called!” he said, “Please call me Peeta.”

He sounded like a nice guy.

“I did ask my acquaintances to help you and one of them said he’d do it!”

“Did he? That’s great!” Katniss said, relief washing over her and making her want to laugh.

“Yeah, I couldn’t realty fill him in with the details but he said right now is the perfect time, since he’s gonna be traveling out of the country for quite some time at the end of the month. Apparently, it’s a job thin-”

He continued talking but Katniss wasn’t paying attention anymore. She’d messed up.

“I could give you his contact right now if you want,” Peeta continued, making it sound as a question.

The wedding was set to be in May.

It was early April.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize I never told you the actual date of the wedding!” Katniss said, feeling like a total moron. _Of course_ , this sort of thing would happen to her.

“It’s in seven weeks,” she added dejectedly.

“Geez, that sucks,” he said.

Katniss began thinking a mile per second, trying to figure something out.

“Isn’t there anyone else who could go with me for a week in May?”

“Uh, well, everyone else told me they were booked up until July or August,” Peeta answered.

“What will I do now?” she asked rhetorically, too crushed to even bother to keep her thoughts from coming out of her mouth.

“Katniss? It will be alright,” he said reassuringly, “We can figure something out.”

Why was he being so nice? Without being able to help it, she let out a small, defeated sigh.

“Maybe you know someone and they know someone and maybe we coul-”

“-what day is it in May again?” he interrupted her.

She stopped for a minute and thought about it. Were five days enough?

“The wedding is the 15th but I have to be there earlier,” she answered, “maybe travel there the 10th.”

It was silent for a minute and Katniss had to look at her phone to check whether the call had dropped.

“I could do it.”

“Huh?”

“I could go with you, I mean,” Peeta said sounding a bit nervous, “I’ve never done this sort of thing before bu-”

“-you? What?” Katniss asked, dumbfounded.

“Is that a yes?” he asked, giving a nervous laugh.

 “What? Of course! I mean, it’s a yes! Thank you so much, you have literally just saved my life” she exclaimed, not truly quite believing it herself, “I’m _so_ owing you big time. I mean, I’ll pay you of course but I’ll still ow-”

He laughed at her giddiness and the only word she could come up with to describe the sound was warm.

“I have to go now,” Peeta said and she could hear some shuffling on his side of the line, “text me the details?”

“Sure! Thanks again!”

“Later.”

The call ended and a few seconds later her phone died due to low battery.

As Katniss reemerged in the living room and searched for a spot to charge her phone, she realized she didn’t even know what Peeta Mellark looked like. And she’d have to pretend to know him!

The enormity of what she’d just done hit her like a ton of bricks.

Taking a big breath, she realized she couldn’t care less. She couldn’t care at all really if he was an old, horrible man (truly unlikely since he seemed like a nice person, but who knew?).

She had to face one problem at a time and, today, she’d had her fair share of problem-solving.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for taking the time to leave comments and kudos, they make my day!


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